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ister was also splashed with it。
〃Oh Jesus；〃 he muttered； and raised his voice again。
〃Danny！ DANNY！〃 The hotel's silence seemed to mock him with echoes which were almost there； sly and oblique。
（Danny？ Who's Danny？ Anybody here know a Danny？ Danny； Danny； who's got the Danny？ Anybody for a game of spin the Danny？ Pin the tail on the Danny？ Get out of here； black boy。 No one here knows Danny from Adam。） Jesus； had he e through everything just to be too late？ Had it been done？
He ran up the stairs two at a time and stood at the top of the first floor。
The blood led down toward the caretaker's apartment。 Horror crept softly into his veins and into his brain as he began to walk toward the short hall。 The hedge animals had been bad； but this was worse。 In his heart he was already sure of what he was going to find when he got down there。
He was in no hurry to see it。
Jack had been hiding in the elevator when Hallorann came up the stairs。 Now he crept up behind the figure in the snowcoated parka； a blood… and gore…streaked phantom with a smile upon its face。 The roque mallet was lifted as high as the ugly； ripping pain in his back （？？ did the bitch stick me can't remember ？？） would allow。
〃Black boy；〃 he whispered。 〃I'll teach you to go sticking your nose in other people's business。〃 Hallorann heard the whisper and began to turn； to duck； and the roque mallet whistled down。 The hood of the parka matted the blow； but not enough。 A rocket exploded in his head； leaving a contrail of stars 。 。 。 and then nothing。
He staggered against the silk wallpaper and Jack hit him again； the roque mallet slicing sideways this time； shattering Hallorann's cheekbone and most of the teeth on the left side of his jaw。 He went down limply。
〃Now；〃 Jack whispered。 〃Now； by Christ〃 Where was Danny？ He had business with his trespassing son。
Three minutes later the elevator door banged open on the shadowed third floor。
Jack Torrance was in it alone。 The car had stopped only halfway into the doorway and he had to boost himself up onto the hall floor； wriggling painfully like a crippled thing。 He dragged the splintered roque mallet after him。 Outside the eaves； the wind howled and roared。 Jack's eyes rolled wildly in their sockets。
There was blood and confetti in his hair。
His son was up here； up here somewhere。 He could feel it。 Left to his own devices； he might do anything： scribble on the expensive silk wallpaper with his crayons； deface the furnishings； break the windows。 He was a liar and a cheat and he would have to be chastised 。 。 。 harshly。
Jack Torrance struggled to his feet。
〃Danny？〃 he called。 〃Danny； e here a minute； will you？ You've done something wrong and I want you to e f and take your medicine like a man。
Danny？ Danny！〃
》
TONY
（Danny 。 。 。） （Dannneee 。 。 。） Darkness and hallways。 He was wandering through darkness and hallways that were like those which lay within the body of the hotel but were somehow different。 The silkpapered walls stretched up and up； and even when he craned his neck； Danny could not see the ceiling。 It was lost in dimness。 All the doors were locked； and they also rose up to dimness。 Below the peepholes （in these giant doors they were the size of gunsights）； tiny skulls and crossbones had been bolted to each door instead of room numbers。
And somewhere； Tony was calling him。
（Dannneee 。 。 。） There was a pounding noise； one be knew well； and hoarse shouts； faint with distance。 He could not make out word for word； but he knew the text well enough by now。 He had heard it before； in dreams and awake。
He paused； a little boy not yet three years out of diapers； and tried to decide where he was； where he might be。 There was fear； but it was a fear he could live with。 He had been afraid every day for two months now； to a degree that ranged from dull disquiet to outright； mind…bending terror。 This he could live with。 But he wanted to know why Tony had e； why he was making the sound of his name in this hall that was neither a part of real things nor of the dreamland where Tony sometimes showed him things。 Why； where…
〃Danny。〃 Far down the giant hallway； almost as tiny as Danny himself； was a dark figure。 Tony。
〃Where am I？〃 he called softly to Tony。
〃Sleeping；〃 Tony said。 〃Sleeping in your mommy and daddy's bedroom。〃 There was sadness in Tony's voice。
〃Danny；〃 Tony said。 〃Your mother is going to be badly hurt。 Perhaps killed。
Mr。 Hallorann； too；〃
〃No！〃 He cried it out in a distant grief； a terror that seemed damped by these dreamy； dreary surroundings。 Nonetheless； death images came to him： dead frog plastered to the turnpike like a grisly stamp； Daddy's broken watch lying on top of a box of junk to be thrown out； gravestones with a dead person under every one； dead jay by the telephone pole； the cold junk Mommy scraped off the plates and down the dark maw of the garbage disposal。
Yet he could not equate these simple symbols with the shifting plex reality of his mother； she satisfied his childish definition of eternity。 She had been when he was not。 She would continue to be when he was not again。 He could accept the possibility of his own death； he had dealt with that since the encounter in Room 217。
But not hers。
Not Daddy's。
Not ever。
He began to struggle； and the darkness and the hallway began to waver。 Tony's form became chimerical； indistinct。
〃Don't！〃 Tony called。 〃Don't； Danny； don't do that！〃
〃She's not going to be dead！ She's not！〃
〃Then you have to help her。 Danny 。 。 。 you're in a place deep down in your own mind。 The place where I am。 I'm a part of you； Danny。〃
〃You're Tony。 You're not me。 I want my mommy * 。 。 I want my mommy。 。 。 〃
〃I didn't bring you here； Danny。 You brought yourself。 Because you knew。〃
〃No…〃
〃You've always known；〃 Tony continued； and he began to walk closer。 For the first time； Tony began to walk closer。 〃You're deep down in yourself in a place where nothing es through。 We're alone here for a little while； Danny。 This is an Overlook where no one can ever e。 No clocks work here。 None of the keys fit them and they can never be wound up。 The doors have never been opened and no one has ever stayed in the rooms。 But you can't stay long。 Because it's ing。〃
〃It 。 。 。〃 Danny whispered fearfully； and as he did so the irregular pounding noise seemed to grow closer； louder。 His terror； cool and distant a moment ago； became a more immediate thing。 Now the words could be made out。 Hoarse； huckstering； they were uttered in a coarse imitation of his father's voice； but it wasn't Daddy。 He knew that now。 He knew （You brought yourself。 Because you knew。）
〃Oh Tony； is it my daddy？〃 Danny screamed。 〃Is it my daddy that's ing to get me？〃 Tony didn't answer。 But Danny didn't need an answer。 He knew。 A long and nightmarish masquerade party went on here； and had gone on for years。 Little by little a force bad accrued； as secret and silent as interest in a bank account。
Force； presence； shape； they were all only words and none of them mattered。 It wore many masks； but it was all one。 Now； somewhe